The Third Door: A Sequel to Kingdom Hearts
by MillenniumSpirit
Summary: The worlds remain at peace forever? Not likely. To stop the Heartless once again, Riku must escape from the realm of Kingdom Hearts, Sora must accept the fate that has fallen to them, and a new Keyblade master must be awakened..... R+R, please!
1. Prolouge

Seal the door, I'll pay the price 

Judgment through shadows, through eternal night 

Darkness pursues me, no end in sight 

Yet once you said, in here, was light 

Yet once you said.....in here....was light....

"How long has it been since I have seen daylight? How long has it been, since I have been able to sleep peacefully, without terrifying nightmares of the nightmare which surrounds me now....in reality.... I deserved this though, after all I had done. I caused everyone such pain.....this is my retribution....this is the price I pay for my immoral sins. Maybe, one day, I can be free...."

I'll sit here and wait; you'll come if I believe 

I've held to hope, I've held to my dreams 

One day we'll be together, like old times, you'll see.....

Because out of it all, faith is the key

Because out of it all.....faith is the key.....

"It's been nearly two years....and still, you don't return to me. Everyone says I must be strong, yet it was easier when you were there. I wonder: Are you hurt? Have you forgotten me? Is everything going to be okay in the end? But, no matter what happens, we'll always be together, in one way or another. No matter where you go, our hearts are one."

I've searched, sometimes not even sure why 

But I always held fast...for deep down inside 

I knew you were waiting, and I knew if I tried..... 

Somehow, I'd open, the door to the light.

Somehow....I'd open the door....to the light....

"I've lost track of time....all that matters now is setting this right.... I know you're waiting, and I know you trust me. After I find you, all will go back to the way it should be. All can return to peace....all can return to the past. Days we spent together, we can all re-live them soon enough. I promise you...I promise all of you, I will restore things to the way they should be. There are those who believe it's all alright now, but that's not true. The winds of fate are stirring....and they are bringing a storm with them...."


	2. Chapter One: Living Nightmares

How long had it been since he had seen daylight? How long had this realm of darkness plagued him? Riku stirred slowly, awakening from the world of dreams, back into spiteful reality. He was neither glad, nor upset; for his dreams were just as horrid as the darkness he was locked in. Yet, one must survive, and that, he insisted upon himself so strongly, he lived. When he was first here, he tried to hold onto it all. He kept up with the date, the days he was locked within this shadowy prison. He allowed himself to fall into memories of better times….but that was when he didn't know better. Now he knew, that falling into such times, holding onto such ideals brought nothing but weakness and death.

The king.…Riku hadn't seen him in days…or what he assumed to be days. Time seemed to pass so slowly here.…or was it abnormally quick?  The disappearance of the royal one never concerned him though, what mattered was eating, sleeping, defending yourself, and searching. Searching for a way out. But, where was he? He knew the answer, at least, the one he was presented with. Kingdom Hearts. The place all hearts came from. But, could hearts possibly come from such a vile, horrid place? He cursed himself internally for falling too deep into thought, and fell into his daily routine. Routine…the cycle that held his sanity fast. Shuffling to his feet, his eyes darted back and forth, flickering for a sign of…'them'. But, thank God, they were nowhere to be seen. Turning around, Riku turned his attention to the ground below him. And, as there was nearly everyday, what might be called food lay before him. Where did it come from? He had stopped asking that a long time ago. Ravenously, he lunged down at it and devoured it quickly. His mind was programmed that way…if he wasn't fast enough, 'they' would get to the food before he could. Suddenly, his mind reeled, and his hand desperately went to his side. The keyblade? It was still there.… He couldn't keep his mind off it anymore; his entire existence now relied on the very thing, which had once poisoned his life. He used to hold to the weapon, out of jealousy. It was proof that he, Riku, was equal to, no, superior to Sora. Sora….his old friend and rival. Riku accepted it now; the darkness had blinded him. He wasn't superior to Sora, not in any way.

Tears were forming around his eyes at the thought of those that he had lost, but Riku brushed them away. Then the expected happened. The air grew thick with shadows, an evil presence. Riku instantly drew the keyblade, and began to back away. 'They' were back again….the Heartless. Running from them, destroying them, that is what consumed every day of his life here. They tore his memories away from him, tried to take him down.…down their dark, damp path. Yet, Riku knew, he could be weak no more. He would get out of here….if it was the last thing he did. He would do it….for Sora. The shadows fell to the ground, darting right and left within the ground. Gripping his keyblade, he turned and ran, ran as if his life depended on it. For, it did. If this wasn't Kingdom Hearts, if this wasn't the realm where these creatures reined supreme, Riku wouldn't have even considered turning around. He would've stood fast and slaughtered every last one of the nasty creatures. But, this was Kingdom Hearts.…and the Heartless had the home field advantage. Sweat dripped down his face, running down his neck, plopping into his mouth, the salty, bitter taste making his stomach churn. The sound of his feet pounding against the ground was soon unison with the pounding of his head, the painful drumming of the world around him taking its fury out on his body. Anxiously, he turned to look behind him. The Heartless still pursued him, their numbers having doubled, as far as Riku could tell. He had to destroy them now, or their numbers would simply continued increasing. He drew his keyblade and pointed it in their direction. If someone could see him, he would be the picture of confidence. But, on the inside, he felt as if he were about to vomit what was left in his stomach. 

One of the Heartless lunged at him, a small shadow-like one. Simple enough, Riku brought his blade down on it with an expert's timing, slashing it until all was left of it was a specter-like mist. That, however, was only the first blow of many. Riku dodged to the side, as he was nearly bombarded with magic, the heat of the Fire attacks singing his skin, the lightning of the Thunder attacks seeping through his veins. At least the Heartless that used magic had weak enough defense…after sidestepping the onslaught of magic, Riku charged forward with his keyblade, slashing through the bright red and yellow Heartless…unnerved by their shrieks as they fell defeated by him. Now, the challenge began. Angel Stars took over the role of their weaker brothers, casting Holy spells one after the other upon Riku. He only had a brief second to wonder: How could the Heartless wield spells considered holy? Practice had taught him what to do next. Casting Aeroaga on himself, still unsure if it ever helped or not, he dodge-rolled to the left, and then climbed up onto a higher surface. Pointing his keyblade towards the nearest Angel Star, he unleashed a barrage of Firaga attacks. It died after a few hits; then it was time to move onto the next one. Seeing as the remaining three Angel Stars were grouped close together, he cast Stop on the ground, glad to see them all freeze. He could run now, run and escape. However, the fury deep within him had erupted, and Riku was determined to destroy these pursuers. He unleashed a torrent of critical blows to the magic wielders, grinning when Stop wore off…and the Angel Stars shattered away. Behind the Angel Stars, around twelve Invisible Heartless appeared, swinging their swords of catastrophic pain. Riku grimaced slightly, but charged forward into what quickly became a whirlwind of flying blades, darkness, and the occasional Curaga spell. Nothing was distinguishable within this spiraling mass of shadows, until the Invisible began dying off, one by one. Now, Riku's overpowering blows became more and more extravagant, and his confidence was growing by the moment. A few moments more, and only one Heartless remained. Riku raised his keyblade to the sky, an intense look on his face. There was a flash of darkness, and the Heartless was split in two.…destroyed along with the rest of his allies.

Riku kneeled down, knees hitting the ground. His breathing was rough and labored, blood trickling down his forehead, joining with the sweat, which still fell. Yet, he felt good. Yes, he had won.

"You see that! You can't stop me! You can't beat me! I'll win.…one day or another.…" he proclaimed, voice echoing through the emptiness of his prison.

He looked down at his keyblade, and managed a weak smile. He could handle this…one day, he'd be out of here. As for the moment through, Riku felt himself weakened beyond belief. He curled up on the cold ground, one hand still latched onto the keyblade, and let himself fall to the world of sleep. Nightmares or no nightmares, he had to recover his strength. As Riku fell asleep, a figure watched him from above, locked on him with it's silver eyes. It knelt down and watched, waiting for the child to awaken once again.


	3. Chapter Two: Searching

Night. Was this what Riku lived within now? An eternal night? Sora stirred from under the blanket that covered him, sleep escaping him, as it had the past few nights of their travel. Restless, he turned his eyes up to the star-filled sky. Perhaps it was this feeling he was getting, this feeling, which told him that they had to be nearing the entrance to Kingdom Hearts. He could feel it, deep down inside. For two years he had been searching…wandering everywhere in existence, it seemed, to find a way to that inaccessible location. Yes, it was true; Gummi Ships were now inadequate forms of travel. But, with his keyblade, Sora had found he could open doorways and portals, which connected the worlds. Of course, he never let Donald or Goofy know that it was he, who opened those gates. Because they knew, as well as he did, that those doors were meant to remain shut forever. No, it was simpler to tell them that he found them open; so surely, it was destiny for them to continue on. If he hit a rough spot with them, all he had to do was mention King Mickey's name and they'd continue on unconditionally. Sometimes though, he wondered what prices he would have to pay later on for opening so many doors. But, as for now, he would pay any price to reunite his friends. It would all be worth it. Sighing, Sora threw off the covers, finding sleep an unattainable pleasure. Grabbing his keyblade, he decided it was time for a walk.

Sora looked around him, a gentle, observant smile on his face. He was unsure of the world he found himself in now, but he knew one thing. He loved the atmosphere. Gentle sloping hills curved across the land, as the moon shone down with a tender radiance. Stars seemed to flicker in and out of existence, winking at him from across the cosmos. There had been no one in sight when they had arrived, and that absence had remained throughout their entire time here. Aside from the birds and an occasional brown speckled deer, not a single living thing had crossed their path. Dismal thoughts, however, dampened the beauty and glory of the terrain. Riku…Kairi…what were they doing now? Were they happy? Sora sincerely doubted Riku's happiness, although he could pray for nothing more every night. Nothing more than that and to find the gateway to Kingdom Hearts soon. Feet slowly, quietly, treaded across the soft ground, bending the stems of grass below them, coming to a gradual stop by a stream. He looked right and left, then back behind him in confusion. Where, exactly, was he? Deciding it trivial where he was, as long as he was in the same world, he sat down beside the stream and watched the water hasten down it's path, jolting around the rocks, and sputtering down a small waterfall. Sora watched the movement with slight interest, subconsciously trying to keep his mind on light-hearted things. Suddenly, he sensed movement all around him, and he stood up, looking around. His hand slowly ran to the keyblade by his side, ready to draw the weapon at any moment.  
  
  


"Hello?" he said quietly, eyes shifting from one direction to another. "Is anyone there…?"

He was answered by the rustling in some bushes to his right, followed by the appearance of one of his least favorite things. A Heartless crouched before him, the small shadow-like creature mocking his presence. Sora glared at the small intruder, and started to walk towards him, not really intending to kill the creature. After all, Heartless were supposed to be gone from this world. They were sealed away into Kingdom Hearts. Putting two and two together, Sora was sure this little one could lead him to the gateway. The Heartless cocked its head, as Sora crept forward, its antenna quivering slightly. Suddenly, it darted off, dashing to its right. Now, he was sure something was up; the Heartless never ran from him before. Encouraged by this change of pace, Soar took off, dashing wildly after the renegade Heartless, shoving tree branches and cobwebs out of his way as he followed it. The chase only lasted a few moments, for Sora caught the creature, right as it scurried into a small opening in a rock beside him.  
"How am I going to…?" Sora sighed, realizing only his arm could fit into the small cavity.

He sat by the gap and thought for a few moments, every once in a while, peeking into the small hole, which seemed to lead to nothing but a shadowy cavern. After discarding a few theories that had popped into his mind, he decided the best course of action would be to try and blow up the rock, revealing a larger hole, which he could fit through. He took a few steps back and pointed his keyblade at the rock.

Exclaiming, "Blizzaga!", he held tight to his keyblade, as ice shot out from it, blasting into the boulder.

After a few rounds of the spell, the boulder began to crack. Grinning, Sora swung around with his keyblade, slamming the weapon into the rock as hard as possible. He flinched as the blade hit the stone, but was rewarded for his efforts. The boulder shattered, revealing a cave. Mouthing words of triumph, he hastened into the cavern

The cave was damp and murky, the smell of decaying flesh lingering in the air. Holding his nose and trying not to be sick, Sora continued in his pursuit of the Heartless. Surely…it couldn't have gone far. Moving along at a gradual pace, he tried to get a look at his surroundings, but there wasn't any light at all in the cavern. No wonder it attracted Heartless so. Although his sense of sight was useless, he could still hear and feel perfectly well, and relied on those senses to guide him throughout the area. And, both senses served him well, for as he felt his way around a corner, the scurrying of feet caught his attention. He quickly followed the sound, and found that as he did so, a dim light began to fill the cavern. Thrilled with this new breakthrough, Sora started to run after the sound, only to run…head-on into a wall. Cursing out loud, he glanced around abruptly for the Heartless. He had lost its trail. Kicking the wall he had run into, he took his slow pace back and continued on. However, he didn't have very long to go. As he turned the corner, a portal came into view, looming before him ominously. In sheer awe, Sora took small steps forward, his eyes locked on the amethyst gateway…that had to lead to some realm of darkness. Immediately, his heart leapt, could it be? The doorway to Kingdom Hearts? He nearly darted straight in, but something stopped him. He thought of Donald and Goofy, back where they had camped for the night. Should he go get them? Sora thought for a moment, and then slowly shook his head. No, he should leave them there; this was too dangerous for them. But…leaving a note might be a good plan. Sora shuffled through his pockets, amazed to find both a pen and a scrap of paper there. He knelt down on the ground, and wrote for about three minutes, slowly standing and leaving the paper on the floor. He faced the portal and took a deep breath.

"I'm comin', Riku." Sora slowly said, as he stepped through the gateway into shadows. 


	4. Chapter Three: The White Tower

  
  


**Note: **All right, FanFiction.net was down for a bit, but I still have the chapter ready, and I hope you all like it. Since everyone seemed so intent on seeing on what happened to Riku, and who this mysterious stranger is, here is Chapter Three, and the real starting point of the story. Not only do we get to meet this new character, find out a lot more about Kingdom Hearts (in my eyes, people, I can't influence Squaresoft or Disney!), but we also get to find out why I named the fanfiction, 'The Third Door'. Yay! 

It seemed like he had slept for an eternity. Riku slowly awakened, rubbing his eyes, although there was no light to jolt them from the world of dreams. Strange though…his dreams had not been nightmares. No, quite the contrary, they had been memories of good times from the past, and possibilities of the future. Wonder what miracle brought that change about…? Suddenly, Riku leapt to his feet, shouldering his keyblade, spinning around to look behind him, breathing and heart rate accelerating. Where was the giant flood of Heartless that was supposed to come shooting after him, the giant flood of Heartless that was supposed to attack him and chase him until he felt as if he were about to die? He blinked once, and then twice, followed by the rubbing of his eyes. After a few moments, he smacked himself hard across the face, coughing when his hand made impact. He shuttered, that had really hurt. So…it wasn't a dream, then. First peaceful sleep…now Kingdom Hearts without Heartless? Something was really…terribly wrong. Slowly, Riku allowed his keyblade to fall to the ground, and he forced himself to calm down. One cannot think with a panicked mind. His eyes surveyed the surroundings deftly, looking for anything else unusual. Nothing…nothing…wait! Riku glared up about ten feet onto a platform, where a figure, hidden in shadows, stood motionlessly. Instinctively, he grasped his keyblade, fingers running over its smooth surface without thought. The target was at a distance…time to break out the magic.

"Thundaga!" he exclaimed, pointing his keyblade in the figure's direction.

A grin spread across his face as the thunderous bolts of lightning shot towards the being, but the grin was quickly replaced with a grimace of anger, as a barrier of Aeroaga formed over the person. Damn it, that wasn't only a blocked attack, it was a waste of valuable MP as well. Now, it was time for the direct approach, he would have to move in. Clutching his keyblade in one hand, Riku ran forward and jumped, intending to leap straight onto the platform. Unfortunately, what was intended to happen didn't. Instead, his jump was not quite high enough, and he ended up hanging off the end of the overhang. He screamed as a foot stomped down on his hand, struggling not to let go, to keep his grip. There was a glint of metal, and Riku suddenly found his eyes locked on the point of a keyblade. For a moment, there was silence.

Then, the figure spoke up, saying, "Firing stray lightning bolts is not a very polite way to greet the guardian of Kingdom Hearts."

The man took hold of Riku's other hand and pulled him up to face him on the platform. Now that they were eye to eye, Riku could actually make out most of the unknown person's features. Long raven black hair crossed down his chest, ending at about his waist. Stunning silver eyes regarded him curiously…eyes that seemed to penetrate right down to your very soul. His expression, however, seemed stone-like…emotionless. As if nothing could ever faze him. He stood about 6'1", not all that tall, but very intimidating. He wore a black cloak draped about him, with a silver-gray uniform beneath. If there was more to his appearance, it could not be distinguished from the shadows surrounding him.

Desperate to break the deafening silence, Riku spoke up, saying, "Kingdom Hearts…has a guardian?"

The man nodded slightly, face showing an expression of pensive thought. He looked at Riku carefully, before responding.

"Yes, Kingdom Hearts has a guardian. But, that seems to be no more than a title these days, as even I am powerless to stop the reign of Heartless here. I haven't seen anyone here for years…millennia…" he replied, trailing off slowly at the end, but extending his hand to him. "But, how rude, I didn't introduce myself. My name is Sarain. It is an honor to meet you…Riku, right?"

Riku simply nodded in reply, eagerly taking Sarain's hand and shaking it. He wasn't interested in asking how Sarain knew his name; after all, he was the guardian of Kingdom Hearts. However, it was clear he was preoccupied with other thoughts.  
"What about the king?" Riku asked. "Surely, you've seen a big mouse walking about here…"  
"I've seen no one aside from you." Sarain replied bluntly. "But, this may tell you something. I found this keyblade a year ago…when I picked it up, it morphed into what you see now. Your king…he wielded a keyblade, didn't he?"  
He responded with a scoffing tone, "Not my king. But…yes, he did carry a keyblade. I suppose he died…the keyblade chose you as its next master… Is that even possible?"

"Highly possible. You think the blade would remain obsolete just because its wielder died?" was the response he was given.

There was silence after that, until Sarain turned to look into the distance.

"You want out of here, don't you?" he asked Riku, his emotionless face actually showing some compassion.

Riku's heart leapt at the hand fate had dealt him. Was it possible that he could get out of here? Away from the shadows and constant terror…away from the living nightmare? Sarain slowly smiled, reading the response from the youth's eyes.

"Follow me." he told Riku, jumping down off the platform and heading west. "I think I know a place that might help you out."  
Riku automatically followed, his mind still reeling. This had to be a dream…but he knew it wasn't. He was actually going to leave Kingdom Hearts.

"Don't go getting your hopes up, now." Sarain spoke up from ahead of him. "I'm not sure this will work, yet."

Although Riku heard him, it felt impossible not be excited. He had a chance to get out of here, to go home, and go back to the way life used to be. To see Kairi…and Sora. The thought brought him to greater exhilaration, above and beyond the capabilities of calming down. The trip was silent, and Heartless-free, to Riku's further confusion. 

Unable to contain his curiosity, he asked the guardian, "Where are the Heartless?"

"On the other side of Kingdom Hearts." was Sarain's reply. "They should be distracted for quite a while now. Don't concern yourself with that, though." 

Before he could respond, a blinding light shattered through the darkness, causing Riku to fall to his knees, eyes squinted ahead to see what could be generating such beauty as light. Before him stood a giant, white tower, which seemed to be made of pure light.

"Welcome to the White Tower, Riku." Sarain said to him, looking down at the kneeling figure. "Light's prison within Kingdom Hearts."

Climbing to his feet, Riku stared in awe of the sight in front of him. He took a few hesitant steps forward, then broke into a frenzied run. Light. Blessed light. Before he could reach that holy tower, he found himself clinging to a tall white gate, unaware that his path was blocked.  
"Now, we see if you can get out of here." Sarain's voice called out to him. "Your keyblade possesses the ability to unlock hearts. Let's see if you can unlock the gates of the realm of hearts!"

Discouragement tried to rear its ugly head, but Riku pressed it aside, and nodded. He _had _to be able to unlock the gate…there was no way that he was not going to make it. Not when he was this close. Taking a few steps back, Riku held out his keyblade, silently praying. Nothing seemed to happen. He forced back tears, no, this couldn't be happening. He nudged the blade closer to the keyhole, and closed his eyes, concentrating every part of his existence on opening that keyhole. He felt a powerful energy shoot from the tip of the blade, and was pushed back a few feet. There was a creaking noise as he opened his eyes. The gate swung open, and Sarain put a hand on his shoulder.  
  


"I have much to explain to you, and little time to do so." he insisted, pushing Riku forward. "Hurry, before the Heartless come."

As they walked in, Riku saw they were confronted with what seemed to be an endless string of stairs. Without comment, both he and Sarain began to climb.

"Kingdom Hearts is, indeed, the source of all hearts." Sarain said, eyes locked on the path ahead. "I can understand why some would doubt this. But, Kingdom Hearts simply reflects the hearts of others. And, the hearts of our worlds are balanced, as they should be. So, one would think, Kingdom Hearts would be split between the light and the shadows. And, it used to be this way, true. But, when Ansem's powerful, and dark heart, gained so much power, he shifted the scales in favor of the shadows. So, now all that is left of the light is locked away in this tower."

Sarain looked to Riku for his understanding of the concept, which Riku showed he gained with a nod. It made enough sense…

"Now, the only way to restore Kingdom Hearts to its true form, and stop the Heartless's tyranny is to undo the damage that Ansem did. Your friend, the other keyblade wielder, he made a good start. He destroyed the source…"

Riku's mind wandered away from Sarain's lecture for a while. Sora. Where was he now? Was he all right? Was he even…alive?

"But, the next step is even harder. During his 'reign of power', Ansem found the Three Doors."

"Three Doors?" Riku asked.  
  


"Yes, the Three Doors. One holds the essence of life and light, another holds the essence of darkness and death. The other holds the essence of the balance, and nothingness. According to legend, the three keyblade wielders are supposed to open one door, close another, and leave one 'as is'. If this is done correctly, then peace will return." Sarain explained.  
  


Riku thought for a moment, listening to the pounding of their feet upon the stone steps, then looked to Sarain with a confident look.

He gave an open-armed gesture, unable to hide the smile on his face, responding, "Easy enough. Sora wields a keyblade, I wield a keyblade, and you wield a keyblade. That's three. All we have to do is find Sora and…."

He broke off, seeing a rather depressed expression fall over Sarain's face.

"What's wrong?" Riku asked slowly. "I'm right…aren't I?"

"We'll save that for the top of the tower." was Sarain's reply.

After about thirty more minutes of straight climbing, Sarain and Riku finally reached the top of the tower. Riku paced over to one of the windows and looked outward. Kingdom Hearts didn't look much different from a distance then it did from up close. Darkness and shadows. Sarain was apparently telling the truth about the relocation of the Heartless, as the ground on the far-end of the area seemed to be shifting, wreathing about. Holding back an urge to be sick, Riku looked away from the window and to Sarain, who stood before a small candle in the center of the room.

"Now, here is your mission." he told Riku, looking up at the boy. "You must find your friend. Together, you must seek out the Doors…and the new third keyblade wielder."

Riku's eyes shone with disbelief and confusion; a new keyblade wielder?  
  


Before he could ask, Sarain continued, "Because I have to remain here. Someone has to protect the White Tower…and this flame. This flame cannot go out, for it holds all of Kingdom Heart's light. I'll give my keyblade to you. You must find someone to wield it."  
  


Sarain handed his keyblade to Riku, who had fallen speechless. This was the first time he had gotten a good look at the weapon. It was made of pure silver, sleek and shiny. Ebony-colored wings seem to spread outward from the weapon's handle, stretching down to its blade. Riku held the keyblade to his chest for a moment, looking to Sarain.  
  


"You…you're giving up everything, Sarain." Riku stammered. "You-you don't have to…"  
  


"Live strong, Riku." Sarain said, holding his hand outward towards a wall to reveal a portal. "We all rely on you now. Find your friend and the third keyblade wielder. Save the worlds."  
  


Riku felt himself being pulled towards the portal, and took a few unintentional steps forward. He looked back to Sarain, and gave a determined nod. The guardian gave him a gentle smile, then waved his hand, ushering him forward. Riku looked ahead of him, the portal waiting for his move. He walked forward and into the gateway without a second thought.  
  


"_What an amazing kid. Feeding and clothing him was worth the effort after all…._" Sarain thought, watching his departure.  
  


"_You wait and see, Sarain. I'll make you…Sora…and everyone else proud._" Riku thought, allowing himself to be absorbed in the intensifying light of the gateway. "_I promise…_"


	5. Chapter Four: Real or not?

**Note:** Thanks everyone, for the few reviews I got, I finally managed to come up with an idea for the next chapter. Forewarning, this one is kind of...sad. Depressing, maybe. And...well, I'll let you decide on the rest as you read. Please, review! I need to know if I should bother continuing!

            Twisting, spinning, spiraling downward into darkness. Riku could barely withhold his screams, as he felt himself fusing, and then splitting from the darkness. Darkness...everywhere...everyone..darkness.. What was going on? His mind reeled on different images...Sora, the islands, Sarain...Kingdom Hearts. No. He wasn't going to think of that accursed place. No longer would his mind be imprisoned there. And suddenly...all stopped, and he felt his feet hit solid ground. The jet-blackness of the surrounding slowly lightened, only a shade. But...it was enough for Riku to fall to his knees in disbelief. What mockery. Kingdom Hearts...yet again.

            On the brink of stinging, stabbing, burning tears, Riku slammed his hands against the ground, incapable to feel any physical pain. After all he had done...to end up back here? No...no, no, it couldn't happen. But...it had. Finally, they came, the tears. And, he didn't fight them. Streaming down his face, the salty drops of water seemed to confirm the reality of this all. As horrible as it was...here it truly was before him. Half-heartedly, he decided the best thing to do would be to go back to Sarain. Surely, the guardian could help him, if anyone. There might be another way... As he walked, he noticed a growing army of Heartless coming in his direction. He drew up both keyblades, ready to fight...when he suddenly stopped, and lowered both weapons. Why would it be worth it anymore? Why fight...? Shutting his eyes and clinching his fists, he dropped both keyblades on the ground and looked up at the Heartless. The stream of enemies was still coming at him...more, and more.

"I'm sorry...Sora, Sarain. I'm just...not strong enough for this..."

He held his head high, though, holding his arms out to either side, as if to embrace the herd of Heartless. If this were to be his end...he would make it memorable. Ten feet away the first line of Heartless was... eight feet...three feet... Riku flinched involuntarily, taking what was sure to be his last breath. There was a paused moment, then a rush of cold. He looked up in alarm to see the army of Heartless passing...straight through him. He suddenly felt sick, and staggered out of the way. The creatures hadn't even noticed him there...they hadn't seen him at all. As if they were nothing but specters...ghosts. Or perhaps...perhaps it was he who was the... Dismissing such thoughts, Riku swallowed the sick feeling, which had rushed to his mouth, and walked forward. As a small Shadow Heartless rushed past, he reached out to touch it, to try and confirm his theory. As he thought, his hand swept right through it, leaving him with no more than a cold aftertaste on his skin.

            Still contemplating what had happened to him, walking back over beside his keyblades and reaching down to grab hold of them, his thoughts were interrupted by a brilliant blast of light from his left. He turned to see a shining ray of silver light engulfing nearly the whole sky in that direction. Following the outburst of light came a scream...but not just any scream. The scream sounded strangely like...

"Sora!" Riku exclaimed, stumbling over his feet to rush forward. "Soooorrraaa!"

He ran faster than he thought he had ever run before, so set on his destination, so set on finding the one who had emitted the cry, that he was unable to see the growing crowds of Heartless around him. He was not the only one racing to the light. Riku scrambled forward, both hands clenched on the keyblades with such intensity, his hands began to turn white and lose the feeling in them. But...none of that mattered. What mattered was finding Sora. Sora...he couldn't be here. No, this place was too horrid for him. The darkness, the very shadows of Kingdom Hearts...they would engulf...destroy that pure, innocent, loving heart he possessed. Riku could not let that happen. He would get to Sora...he had to. His speed increased, his body seemingly no longer held back by the ties of human limitations. He left all else behind, his spirit, mind, and soul becoming his driving force. And, as if this determination were all the power he needed, Riku suddenly skid to a stop, finding Sora only a few feet in front of him. But...it wasn't a sight he wanted to see.

            Sora, no longer holding the young face of fourteen he once did, stood, swinging his keyblade right and left to fend off the armies of Heartless surrounding him. His gentle blue eyes seemed to be out of place with the powerful blows and attack he delivered. Shadow Heartless, like a black plague, or more perhaps like a river of ebony water, flung themselves upon him, drowning him in their dark grasp. Then, the Invisible came in, charging with their dark blades...cutting...slicing... Unable to take anymore, Riku charged in, keyblades drawn, ready to destroy all of the Heartless who would dare harm Sora. But...as before, his blows made no contact...instead, they fell straight through the Heartless, slamming him down hard on the ground. He was in a daze after striking the ground so hard, and he felt consciousness try to escape him. He allowed himself to lie flat against the ground, for he didn't want to see the pain of the battle...if he didn't look, his mind would allow him to believe that Sora was winning. After a few moments, he felt a rush of cold through him...and he knew they were gone again. He struggled to look up, watching the last Soldier Heartless scamper off with Sora's keyblade. And...to see Sora lying, bleeding and broken, on the ground.

            Riku rushed to his friend's side, in such a state of anxiety, he found it close to impossible to think.

"Sora...oh, Sora...why did this happen...?" he asked, directing the question to no one in particular. 

Without thinking, he reached down to grab Sora's open palm, only to feel his warm hand touch Sora's cold one. It startled him...he had thought he could touch nothing here. Sora's eyes cracked open, and his friend greeted him with a weary smile. Everything that had happened...Sora's eyes said it all. And...it suddenly seemed as if the world had crashed down upon them.

"Riku..." Sora said, afterwards falling into a fit of coughing. "You...you're here..."

Riku reached down to wipe the crimson liquid leaking from Sora's mouth away, his other hand holding Sora's tightly.

"Yes...yes, I'm here." was all Riku could reply.

Sora laughed gently, causing more blood to spill from his lips. Riku gently lifted the boy onto his lap, trying to comfort him. His light-brown hair spilled onto Riku's lap limply, as it was drenched with sweat and blood. Sweat, blood, and tears, that was what they seemed to be made of at that moment. Sora convulsed once...then twice, taking and releasing small breaths. For a few moments, all was silent. Everything around them seemed to freeze, it was almost as if time itself had frozen. Riku felt the warmth slowly begin to leave Sora's body, so he held him closer, rubbing his hand comfortingly.

"Sora?" he asked, trying to be sure his friend was still with him.

Sora replied in an outburst, an outburst of pain and extreme intensity, saying, "We chose the wrong door, Riku! After all we went through...we chose the wrong door!"

Not knowing what he spoke of, all Riku could do was hush him and hold him tighter. As if those very words were what tied him to life, Riku felt Sora's body go limp...and grow cold. Afraid, Riku peered over into the face of his friend. Glossy, lifeless eyes peered back at him, eyes that saw nothing... Suddenly, Riku turned to the side, and vomited. He gently let Sora down to the ground and staggered away, vomiting once again. His body shook and he felt sick. Tears streaming down his face, he knelt down, shaking. He felt so weak...so horrible, weak, and sick. Sobbing and shaking, he crawled over beside Sora's lifeless body and curled up beside him, grasping his hand for comfort. The world turned into a swirl of park purple and black, and Riku surrendered to unconsciousness.

The voice of Sora, saying, "We chose the wrong door, Riku!", rang through his mind...followed by something else.

A deeper voice...more like a thought... Whenever he concentrated on it...it disappeared. But, as he gave himself up to sleep...it rang clearly.

--~~--~~--~~--~~--~~--~~--~~--~~--~~--~~--~~--~~--~~--~~   

We all dream of what could come 

Of what is yet to be 

Succeed in your tasks, remain true to your heart 

Or this future you could see...

We cross over worlds, we cross over time

But, is there something more?

We search for the light, yet we find substitutes

And all the time, we've always kept score...  

Worlds apart, no dimensions apart

Are the chosen three. 

Whether you're doomed to fail, or destined to succeed 

This we are yet to see...

This...we are yet to see... 

--~~--~~--~~--~~--~~--~~--~~--~~--~~--~~--~~--~~--~~--~~  


	6. Chapter Five: Oceanside Faith

**Note:** Hmm....I think I'm going to leave everyone in suspense about Riku and Sora and move on to another aspect of the story. In the prologue, I showed (or was supposed to be showing) Riku's viewpoint, Sora's viewpoint, and Kairi's viewpoint. Well, as Kairi is the only character I'm yet to mention, here goes a chapter dedicated to her. It might be my only one for a little while, and it probably won't be very long...but I'm going to give it my best shot. So, without further procrastination, here is Chapter Five!

The sand. It's always moving. Always rolling in and out of the ocean, seeing new places, drifting... But, it's hard to tell. It always looks like the same sand covers our beaches...it all seems to stay in place.  Maybe, we're all like that. Even though we feel as if we are suspended in one place, we're really drifting. Drifting together...and apart.

            Contemplating such thoughts, Kairi was sitting on the beach, tracing small circles in the sand. Come to think about it, she was sitting in the same spot, Sora had been daydreaming off at...when they were trying to build their raft and get out off the island. If only they had known earlier...now that she had left the islands once...she never wanted to leave them again. They seemed to be so amazing...so perfect now that she was back. Well...almost perfect. Without Sora or Riku...the islands seemed so forlorn. Lonely and bleak...she never noticed how much their presences brightened the place up. Now, she'd give almost anything to have them back. Especially Sora...

"Kairi? What are you doing out here?"

            Kairi turned around to see Selphie running towards her, carrying a heavy blanket. She draped it over Kairi's shoulders, shaking her head at her.

"It's the middle of the night! What are you thinking!" she demanded of her best friend, shaking her head.

Kairi laughed gently, clutching the blanket around her and nodding. Yes, it was about 11:30 at night...close to the time when the stars burned their brightest. The crescent moon shone dimly above, adding it's light to the star's to reflect their silhouettes off the ocean's surface. The golden sand was only a dull gray at this hour, and the world seemed to reflect in shades of gray, black, and white alone. Well...aside from Selphie's outfit. It looked bright yellow, no matter what the hour.

"I don't know... I just wanted some time alone." Kairi replied, shrugging. "It's not that cold out here. It never is."

Selphie sighed and shook her head. No sense in fighting with Kairi. It seemed, ever since the whole incident with everything happening to the island, Kairi had grown stronger. Not only stronger...but something else. Something else seemed different, she seemed older. Calmer. When everyone else had heard Sora and Riku were gone...they all were upset. Especially their parents. But, Kairi hadn't been that way. She had simply said, 'They'll come back', and hadn't shed a single tear. Well...there was one, but that was it. What a girl...

"Selphie?" Kairi suddenly asked, looking to her friend. "I think Riku and Sora are going to come back soon, you know that. I just have a feeling..."

Selphie looked to Kairi with confusion, cocking her head to the side. Why had she suddenly said that?

But, she couldn't help but get excited at the idea, replying, "Really? That's great!"

Kairi nodded and looked back out towards the water. Both were silent for a while, watching the lights dance off the water. A fish jumped up and splashed back into the water, sending the ocean a jolt with small ripples. Kairi looked up at Selphie and smiled.

"Let's go home. It's getting late." she said, standing up.

Nodding, Selphie climbed to her feet and followed Kairi, the two slowing engaging in conversation about some random light-hearted topic Selphie came up with. As they left, the ripples in the ocean water settled, and the glass-like ocean surface reformed. And, in the sky above, two stars winked into existence.

**Note:** Much happier than my last one, right? Well, now that you've read it, I beg you all, review!


	7. Chapter Six: Ultimate Power?

**Note: **Okay…I really have to apologize…that last chapter really, really sucked. I AM SO SORRY EVERYONE! But…this one, is 10,000x better, I swear it! Well…I think it is. It has a new character in it, based off of someone I know. Yeah…I've got nearly as many made-up characters as real ones, don't I? Ah, it can't be helped. We're getting back to the actual plot of the story with Riku now! Is Sora dead? Is Riku okay? We'll see all that now, but I have another quick note to add. For the next few chapters, I need some ideas for some more worlds. Preferably, something that came from Squaresoft, although I'm open to new ideas. And…if you give me the world, I WILL credit the genius idea to you, no worries there. So, no more procrastination, on with the chapter!

            "Hey! Hey, are you in there? Are you okay? Hello?"

_"Sora…?"___

__

"Great…the first person I find in months and he's…well, hurt. C'mon…get up. Open your eyes…"

"Sora…?"

"Huh? Sor…sore? Are you sore? Are you okay? C'mon, now I know you're in there! Open up!"

            Darkness. Cold. Darkness and cold. More and more of it. Coming at him from all sides, every instant there it was. Darkness. Cold. Still, life stirred ahead of him. Ahead…why was it always so far ahead. He outstretched his hand to it…the light. The warm, comforting, forgiving, blessed light. Slowly, he cracked his eyes open, gravity trying to crush them straight back down. Instantly, he moaned, as the light blinded him, piercing straight through him. He quickly shut his eyes again and shuttered, going back to shadows. At least they wouldn't hurt him…no…not yet.

"Hey! I saw you open your eyes! You're in there! Open up or I'll make you!"

_"Who in Kingdom Heart's name could be this damn annoying…"_

__

Reluctantly, Riku slowly opened his eyes once more, and the light shot through him, although not as violently. Actually, after a moment, it felt more like a gentle river's flow than piercing arrows. He gradually righted himself, sitting up as the world about him spun in circles. He blinked once, then twice, mentally commanding the surroundings to hold still. Strangely, they did.

"Hey, you're all right! Terrific!"

Riku turned to see whom this annoying voice belonged to. A young woman, about his age, knelt before him, smiling gently. A river of silver-blonde hair fell down her back, stopping just above her waist. Light blue eyes regarded him curiously and playfully. Eyes that would so greatly resemble Sora's…if they were only slightly darker. Her outfit was a medley of purple, gold, and white, most of the vibrant shades concealed in a dark purple cloak. She cocked her head to the side in response to his analysis, and Riku quickly looked away, causing her to laugh.

  
"You're…strange." she laughed, moving to get back in front of him. "Aren't you going to introduce yourself?"

  
"Riku." he said bluntly, turning away again.

How annoying could one person get? All he wanted was to get up and find Sora…well, and maybe some food and drink. His stomach rumbled in agreement, and he shook his head slowly. It felt like forever since he had eaten anything. Where was he, anyway? His observant gaze turned from the girl to the surroundings. Building…streets, all so familiar. What was this place…he had been here before…

"Hey, are you ignoring me!" she exclaimed, putting her hands on her hips. "Well, fine then, I'll just introduce myself, whether you are listening or not. My name's Diana. It's a pleasure to meet you…"

He had heard the girl, and nodded absent-mindedly. However, his thoughts were set on the surroundings, trying to bring up sleeping memories. He knew this place…he had been here. He could remember…if only he could try hard enough… Suddenly, his mind snapped to realization, and he laughed, it had all been so easy.

"Traverse Town!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands up. "Why didn't I realize it before?"

Diana regarded him with confusion and curiosity. This guy…Riku he said his name was, he could've just asked where he was. She could've said that much. Traverse Town…the place for those without worlds.

"Yeah…Traverse Town. Population: 2." she said, shaking her head.

He looked over at her and nodded. At least he was somewhere he had been before. Now, to figure out how to get out of here… With only a moment's glance, it was obvious they were in the First District. Near the gate to the second…the accessory shop and item shop only moments away. Stopping there for supplies would be nice. He looked down, eyes searching for the keyblades he was entrusted with. Luckily, they lay only a few feet off, and he quickly went to them, grabbing one in each hand. With that, he brushed past the girl and headed towards the item shop.

"Hey! Where do you think you're going?" she demanded, running over and grabbing him by the arm. "You're not going anywhere without me!"

He sighed, and tried to shake free, to no avail. A stubborn one, she was. Her eyes glittered in determination and excitement, giving him a look that would've scared anyone else into submission. However, Riku only shrugged.

"You'll just get in the way." he said firmly, continuing forward, practically dragging the girl along with him. "Just let go and let me go my own way."

She shook her head furiously, locks of silver-blonde hair falling into her face, "No! I'm not letting you go! You're the first person I've found…and you may be my key to getting out of here."

_"Key…"_ he thought, laughing.

Surely, he had plenty of keys. One to unlock the hearts of others, and the other…well, he was yet to know the ability this other keyblade possessed.

"Fine, whatever, come along." he relented, as he opened the item shop door with his only free hand. "But, the second you become trouble, you're out of here."  
  


"Yes sir!" she exclaimed, letting go of his arm to give a mock salute.

            The item shop was desolate and empty. Cobwebs filled the vacant corners of the building, as dust thinly blanketed everything in its filmy touch. Their footsteps echoed emptily throughout the facility, scattering small rats every which way.

"We are…really the only ones here?" Riku asked slowly, brushing the dust off of the old counter.

"Yes." was Diana's solemn reply. "Everyone else is back in their worlds. There's really no need for this place anymore, you see."

"What about you?" he questioned, looking over at her.

"I don't belong anywhere."

 Riku didn't comment, but instead, fell behind the shelves, searching for items. Most had apparently been taken as everyone had returned to their rightful places, but a few random items still lay back behind the counter; a few potions, some antidotes here and there. Nothing that Riku didn't already possess. After years of fighting the Heartless, his item supply wasn't exactly dwindling. But, to his great surprise, there was something he didn't have behind the counter as well.

"Food!" he exclaimed, throwing out a basket full of an assortment of goods. "Real food!"  
  


Diana watched in astonishment as this silver-haired stranger literally threw himself onto the basket and engulfed everything as if his life depended on it. She would surely have to teach him some manners. But…something in the way he desperately clawed at every scrap of food seemed to show that it wasn't his fault. Wherever he had been before here, food had apparently been a rare sight indeed. She watched in silence as he finished the last of the basket's contents in less than five minutes, and then stood up, wiping his mouth. He turned and looked at her, his face going red. He was embarrassed…how funny. She started to giggle, as his face turned an even brighter crimson shade.

"W-what?" he finally asked, looking down at the ground. "You try having to fight for your food every single day!"

She was about to respond, when there was a scratching at the door. Followed by a chorus of banging. Something black flashed past the window.

"Riku…?" she said quietly, stepping back.

He looked at her with a grim expression, and said, "Can you fight?"

            They were throwing out the contents of the closets, probing for a weapon of any kind.

"I learned magic when I was young…" she said, throwing a box of random gummi ship parts aside, as Riku poured out the contents of some drawers to her side. "It has been so long though…"  
  


"You better start remembering…" he cautioned, looking over towards the window furiously.

Luckily, these Heartless were stupid, or so polite, they found it necessary to come through the door. All it would take is a single pound across the glass window, and they would flood straight into the room.

"Look!" Diana suddenly exclaimed, holding up an old oak staff.

The weapon was covered in dust and was apparently not in the best of shape. Thick, dark wooden bonds spiraled up the lighter-colored wooden base, and they ended in a claw, apparently designed to hold some kind of gem. However, the stone was not present.

"Try it!" Riku exclaimed urgently, as one of the Heartless's claws shot through the bottom of the door.

"Fira!" she exclaimed, pointing the staff as the opening.

A whirlwind of fire rampaged towards the opening, engulfing the door in its flames. Yes, the Heartless were frightening back, for an instant, but now the door was gone. Riku shot her an angry glance, shaking his head slowly as the Heartless regrouped and started coming towards them.

"Well…at least we know it works…" she said slowly, grasping the weapon tighter.

            Without a word, Riku charged forward, holding both keyblades outward. Only seconds away from the torrent of Heartless, he gave a quick spin to his right, spiraling into the masses of shadows. Screeches emmited from left and right, as the silver whirl of the blades consistently erupted from within the grasp of the darkness. Diana stood there, shock overwhelming her, instinct telling her to run and hide; run, hide, and don't look back. Shaking, she held her staff outward and closed her eyes. What if she hit him? No…she had to trust her heart and follow her thoughts.

"Blizzaga!" she exclaimed, pointing the staff to the sky, and then bringing it down with a violent swing.

Ice blasted out towards the writhing dark warriors, shattering against them with an unusually powerful force. Riku shuttered as a single shard grazed his cheek, and a few drops of blood trickling down.

"Thundaga!" she shouted, once again, raising and lowering her staff, now stepping forward.

Lighting shot through the building's roof, causing it to explode, burning planks of wood pounding against the ground, sending small flares flying. The lightning struck a large crowd of Heartless, and they cried out, backing down. Riku raised his hand to her, as if to say it was enough, but she stepped forward again. Tears ran down her face, as she brought the staff up again, and pointed it to the open sky.

"Ultima!" her voice rang out, clean, crisp, and fearless.

            Now, the Heartless were backing out of the building, starting to fight amongst themselves to find a way out. She pointed the staff at them and screamed. She screamed, and all her anger and sadness seemed to project itself through it.

"For my family, my friends, my world!" she shouted, falling to her knees, but the staff still facing the Heartless. "Ultima!"

A giant white light started to burn at the end of the staff, gradually growing brighter and brighter. Small wisps of shadow swirled around the growing ball of light, orbiting it with growing speed. Diana's eyes remained locked on the light, sweat dripping down her face, tense with effort. After a few seconds more, she gave a small swing of the staff and the bright ball of light shot forward. Upon first contact with the Heartless, everything went white. Riku screamed, kneeling down and throwing his arms over his head. Before light engulfed everything, he managed to turn and see Diana, lying unconscious a few feet away. He reached for her hand, but found himself unable to grab it before the intensity of the light overtook him.

            "Riku? Riku…please…say you're all right…"

"Sora?"

"No. Diana. Are you okay?"

Riku slowly opened his eyes to see Diana kneeling beside him, her face showing obvious concern. He sat up quickly, fingers rubbing the smooth surface of the keyblades still resting in his hands. The girl's expression quickly turned to one of relief as he stood up, brushing himself off.

"I'm fine. What about you?" he said, crossing his arms. "One moment, all I think you're capable of is a simple Fira, and the next, you're blasting everything into oblivion…"  
  
She laughed gently, "Call it a warm-up."

"Sure…" he replied. "Whatever you say. Now…are…'they' gone?"  
  
"Every last one." she said bluntly, nodding. "Can we leave?"

Riku took a few steps away and looked around. How were they supposed to? Gummi ships no longer worked, the worlds were sealed from one another. How were they supposed to get anywhere?

"I'm…not sure." he replied, followed by a sigh.

Diana smiled gently and put her hand on his shoulder, brushing her hair out of her face. They said nothing, just stood there. The battle had been won, but it seemed they had lost after all, in the long run. They were trapped in Traverse Town…for what appeared to be forever. She looked over at the silver-haired stranger, who called himself Riku. Something was so different about him than other people. If it was only how cold and separated from others he seemed to be. Aside from whoever this Sora was. It had to be the person he was looking for. Everyone had a reason for wanting to escape somewhere. To find someone, discover something. Or else…it wouldn't be worth such an effort. Her reason…she didn't even know anymore.

"How did you get here?" she asked, shuffling her feet across the ground. "I mean, if you can get I, surely, we can get out."

"A portal. A friend." he said, walking further from her, dropping one of the keyblades to the ground, and banging his hand against a brick wall. "Forget it. We're trapped."

Before she could move forward to comfort him, a small crack of purple light appeared where Riku's fist had hit the wall. She walked forward and watched as he pounded on the wall again, widening the crack. Madly, he started pounding on it, and she followed his action, banging her fists against the wall.  Drawing up his keyblades, he started slashing at the wall, revealing the one thing they needed right now. Both stepped back simultaneously and stared in disbelief at what sat before them.

"Can we leave?" she asked slowly, looking to Riku for his response.  
  
"Onward…to whatever lies ahead." he responded.

She was startled as he grabbed her hand, nodding.  
  
"What?" he asked, his face emotionless. "You want to go flying off alone into this abyss?"

"No!" she exclaimed, clutching his hand tighter.

  
"I thought so." he said, starting forward.

She held her breath as they walked forward, afraid but determined. Riku found himself shaking, although he had already done this once. But…maybe now, it would be okay. After all this time, he wasn't alone anymore. The girl had potential…she was nearly as strong as he was. Maybe if she could find a way not to nearly destroy everything when she unleashed such a power, if she could control it, she'd make a decent ally. But, then all thoughts were chased from both of them, as they entered the potal. 


	8. Chapter Seven: The Three Doors

**Note: **Hello, faithful readers of KH fan fictions…yeah, just a warning, I'm a little energetic, and this is a sad chapter, so even I don't know what to expect. I'd like to thank the two people who reviewed my chapter, can I point out, only two! Uh…yeah, sorry there. Anyway, the reviews I did get were very kind, so I thought I'd go as fast as I could to get the next chapter up. Just a quick reminder, I still need worlds, people! Someone already E-mail me with the idea of the world from Legend of Dragoons, and, since I've played the game, and liked it, I'm going to use it. But, I still need many more! Please, either include it in your review, or E-mail me (Millennium_Spirit_2020@hotmail.com)! I need your input everyone!

            Riku opened his eyes, shuttering as a blast of frigid wind swept by, threatening to send him into a bout of hypothermia. Why was it so cold here, wherever he was? Coming into a kneeling position, then climbing to his feet, Riku glanced right and left, yet there was no sign of anyone. His hands slowly grasped about for the keyblades, and he was relieved to find both of them by his side, resting there, like loyal pets who wouldn't leave their master's side.

"Diana?" he exclaimed, searching the surrounding for a sign of his new acquaintance. "Where are you?"

His voice echoed back at him in sheer mockery, and he glared back at the white nothingness. How very…insane…nothing suddenly seemed. When he had been in Kingdom Hearts, to be surrounded by something aside from darkness…to be away from the Heartless; it was all he ever wanted. Now, this was an example of his wish, it seemed, and he didn't like it. Something about the extreme whiteness seemed more…threatening than the darkness ever seemed. Unwilling to just stand there a moment longer, he started walking forward, with no apparent clue exactly where he was heading. He was going…somewhere, wasn't he? He had to be…although the landscape looked no different, he had to be moving. Right…? As he continued forward, he let out a gasp as water splashed out at him, spraying into his face. He knelt down to feel the surface of the 'ground'. He was walking on water… Astounded by this new discovery, he walked, ever more cautiously, forward. He looked down to see his own reflection, flickering back at him. His hair had gotten longer…too long for his choice. He seemed worn…tired. Even though he tried his hardest to look strong, energetic, and full of life, as he looked down at himself…it just didn't work. Feeling slightly defeated by his own appearance, he chose to look up into the 'sky'. White as far as the eye could see. How bizarre. He chose to look back down; at least, there was color there. Faded colors, but color all the same. As he walked, his eyes remaining locked on themselves, as a staring contest between Riku and his reflection ensued, a voice came echoing from off in the distance. One so familiar, it made Riku jolt up from his activity, and look forward, nearly stumbling over his own two feet.

  
"Sora?" he shouted, taking a few steps forward. "Sora, is that you?"

            Only about fifteen feet away, Sora stood, his arms crossed as he watched Riku.

"There you are! I wish you wouldn't run off and disappear like that!" he laughed, waving for Riku to come join him.

After a few moments, his voice took a more serious tone, "We don't have all the time in the world, you know."

Riku had absolutely no clue what Sora was talking about, but he really didn't care. He had found him, and, this time, they weren't inside Kingdom Hearts. Wait…that was a dream…wasn't it? No…no, it had been far too real. So…what was it then? And…was this the same?

"Are you coming, Riku?" Sora called out, looking back over his shoulder to see his friend.

"I'm coming!" was his reply, as he ran to catch up with Sora.

As he ran forward, the surroundings became more distinguishable and realistic. Everything about him took on a light-blue color, the 'sky' taking on a darker shade of sapphire. As he ran, small beads of water leapt up and dashed onto his face, light and refreshing. What had once seemed so frightening now seemed gentle and kind. Riku couldn't help but laugh as he caught up to Sora. He threw his arms around his old friend and hugged him tightly, laughing. Sora stood there, and then awkwardly patted Riku's back.

"Are you…okay?" he asked, as Riku let him go. "You're sure your nerves aren't shot or something?"

"I'm fine." Riku replied. "Let's go."

Of course, Riku had no idea what they were going to do, but whatever it was, it had to be important. With a nod, Sora led him forward, hand locked on his keyblade. Riku watched it and looked back at the two in his hands. Some reason, he felt something was wrong. As they walked forward, Sora suddenly stopped, and Riku looked up at him, taking his eyes off the blades. Sora motioned forward with his hand, and Riku's eyes trailed upward, to see three doors sit before him.

"They are…?" he asked, in astonishment.

"Yeah. The Three Doors." Sora replied, nodding grimly.

            They were familiar, doorways they had seen before. The first was the simple wooden door that had always been in the 'secret place' back in Destiny Islands. Simple and bland, it seemed very plain next to the others. The second door was the intricate white door, Riku had seen it only once before, and that was with Maleficent. However, he also knew it had appeared on Destiny Islands after he left. The third was the doorway that had connected Hallow Bastion to its keyhole. A strange, dark gateway. Taking small steps forward, he looked back at Sora.

  
"Wait…you know about them?" he asked, obviously confused.

  
"Yeah. Remember, Sarain talked about them." Sora reminded him, smiling. "Surely, you would remember Sarain."  
  


"I remember him…" Riku said. "But…I thought…when did you…? Oh, forget it."

Although he was confused, Riku wasn't going to make himself look like an absolute idiot. The doorways…they were all so mysterious. Ambling forward aimlessly, he ran his hand down the smooth surface of the wooden door, remembering Destiny Islands, and the times they used to have. Still, he pulled away quickly. This was the doorway that had changed all of that. The one that brought darkness into their world…wasn't it? So…what was it Sarain had said. Three doors, one to light, one to darkness, and one to a balance. They were to seal a door, open a door, and leave one, as is. Each keyblade wielder…. Suddenly, it struck him. Each…there were supposed to be three of them. But, here he stood, still holding two keyblades.

"Sora. There were supposed to be three keyblade wielders, weren't there?" he asked, turning back to look at Sora, who was running his hand up and down the white door, much in the same fashion he had done the wooden one.

"Yes, yes there were." Sora replied, sitting beside the door. "But…we never found the third one, remember? And, there's no time to look. Sarain, Kairi, everyone gave their lives for us to make it this far. We can't turn back now."  
  
_"Gave their lives? They're dead? Sarain and…and Kairi? Dead…? No. No, it couldn't be true." _ Riku thought, shaking his head. _"No…it's not fair."_

Sora, seeming to understand how Riku felt, shook his head slowly. He looked back at the way they had come from, then, took in a sharp breath.  
  
"Riku! Heartless!" he exclaimed, pointing off into the distance.

            Riku turned to see the ever-familiar black plague heading in their direction, squirming, wreathing towards them. Eyes wide, he tried to estimate how many there were. Hundreds…thousands...millions?

"Sora, we can't possibly defeat them all!" he exclaimed, looking over at him. "We need to do this fast!"  
  


"I know!" was his quick reply. "One to light, one to darkness, and a balance. Seal, open, and 'let be'. So…we open the door to light?"

"Seal the door to darkness, and let the balance be?" Riku finished, nodding his head. "But, Sora, which is which?"

They both backed away from the doors, trying to get a good look at them all. The wooden door… that was the one that had connected the islands to the darkness. So, surely, it was the door to shadows. But, he doubted the black portal that had connected Hallow Bastion to its keyhole would be light or the balance. And, what was that white door? Was it light? It surely seemed pure enough…

"Which is which, Riku?" Sora asked desperately, pleading eyes turning to Riku. "I…I don't know!"

Even though, all this time, Sora had seemed confident, now, he was breaking. Breaking and shattering under the extreme pressure. He was shaking and he looked as if he were going to cry. Riku didn't blame him. Here they were, making a choice every single person in every single world would be affected by, without time to think, because there was a river of death rushing towards them. It was enough to make anyone panic. Enough to where even Riku was starting to panic.

"Damn it…all right! Let's just choose! The door to darkness?" he finally said, looking to Sora.

"You'd think it'd be the dark portal…" he mused slowly, and Riku nodded.

"Fine! Who can seal doors?" he replied.

"Not me…" was Sora's response. "I can open them…"

Riku darted forward, in front of the portal. One of these keyblades had to work… Suddenly, his own keyblade started to vibrate. He slowly let go of it and it shot into the dark portal, and the gateway slowly sealed shut. A deep sound emitted afterwards, and Riku took a few hesitant steps back, slowly shaking his head.

  
"Okay, what door do we open?" he asked, taking a deep breath and releasing it. "I think…that white door. It has to be the light. It has to be."

Nodding in agreement, Sora stepped before the white door and held his keyblade out. It, too, started to vibrate, and shot into the white door, and the door slowly opened. Riku wanted to see what lay beyond it, but the screeching of Heartless shot through him, more violently than the keyblades had shot into the doors, striking a nameless fear into his heart. He stepped forward, and held Sarain's keyblade towards the wooden door. Nothing happened. He gave the blade a swirl about, pointing it at the door. He focused his whole mind and will on the keyblade and door…yet nothing happened.

"We need the other keyblade wielder!" he cried out, dropping the key and turning to face Sora.

The boy was standing there, watching the Heartless grow nearer. Features were now distinguishable within the giant mass of shadow, small intense eyes, and claws lashing left and right, swords flying, the occasional spark of magic. Riku paced slowly to his friend's side and looked over into his face. Tears were running down Sora's face, hitting the watery ground below them, causing ripples to flow everywhere.

"We've failed them." he said slowly, his voice starting to break. "All of them."

Suddenly, Riku felt himself crying too, and he watched as his own tears fell and hit the water below him. Sora was right, they had failed. The Heartless were closer now…much closer. Sora looked over at Riku, then faced the Heartless. He spread his arms out, stretching them as long as they would go, his eyes locked on the one in front. A position Riku had once taken, under the same circumstances. This was it. He had accepted fate, and now, it was time Riku do the same. They had failed and they would die.

"I'm sorry, Sora. I never could make you or Sarain proud." he said, also spreading his arms wide to accept the Heartless and the hand fate had dealt. "I'm sorry."

"You wanted me to be proud?" Sora asked curiously. "Riku…I was always trying to live up to you."

Before Riku could respond, there was an outcry, and what felt like a wall came slamming into him, sending him flying back. He opened his eyes to see pure darkness overtaking him. A clawed hand reached out and gashed his right cheek, while the powers of fire and lightning struck all around him. He cried out, well, he tried, but no sound would leave him. It was as if they were in a vacuum, one that nothing could escape from. He looked over to see Sora, who was also looking at him, with a strangely calm expression. Riku nodded and closed his eyes, and let death carry him off into peaceful slumber.

            "Riku? Are you in there?"

_"Who…who is it? Sora…Sarain…Kairi…Diana…?"_

"Riku, please, wake up!"

"Who…?"  
  
"Diana. You were dreaming."

Riku stirred quickly, eyes bolting open as he shot up so quickly, he nearly toppled back over. She gasped, and held him by the shoulders to steady him. His keyblades were still lying by his side…all had to have been a dream. But, after a few seconds, he knew it was more than that.

"You…okay?" she asked, slowly releasing him.

  
"Yes, I'm fine." he replied, standing up, and grabbing the keyblades. "Let's get going."

As they walked off, Riku reached up and touched his right cheek, where a deep gash remained, freshly bleeding.


	9. To Everyone

**Note: **First of all, I'd like to recognize those who reviewed and those who sent E-mails, giving me suggestions for different worlds to use.

1) Shelby: I'm glad you hold my writing in such high regard, and I hope to keep providing you and other readers with material you enjoy. I think the idea of adding in the world from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is genius, and I plan to use it. Thank you so much for taking the time to review my story.

2) Elvish Nightmare: I'm glad to have a consistent reader contribute to my writing, and I'd like to thank you for the suggestion of adding the world(s) of Chrono Cross and Chrono Trigger to my story. I've never played Chrono Trigger (although I've been dying to!), but I'd be more than happy to add the world of Chrono Cross into the plot. And, no, I haven't played The Bouncer, but I'm sure it's good! Thanks for believing in me!

3) Someone, who wishes to remain unknown, E-mail me with the suggestion of adding the world of The Legend of Dragoon to my story, and I'd just like to go ahead and say that the credit for this idea does not belong to me. I'd like to thank this person…you know who you are.

I want to go ahead and disclaim all of these games, Squaresoft, ect. As you all know, I do not own any of this. The idea to include these worlds from these games, not belonging to the people who submitted the ideas, as far as I know, belongs to those who they are credited to. If anyone would like to suggest a world to add to the story, please add it onto your review, or E-mail me at Millennium_Spirit_2020@hotmail.com I have no limit to the number of worlds I can put into this fan-fiction, so, really, in the long run, you guys, the readers, decide how long it will be. My story is in your hands. Once again, I'd like to thank the reviewers above, along with Ty, Digital Faith, Kat Reverie, Sonya, Crimson Snow, Otaku Amanda, Dim Labyrinth, and Seph Girl. All of you are the reasons I continue writing this fan-fiction. I hope to continue to see your reviews everyone, as I want this story to be something you all thoroughly enjoy. I'm glad I finally had the time to put this up; I've been meaning to thank you all. Expect to see the next chapter up in a few days; thanks to all of you, I've got great plans for the future.

-MillenniumSpirit


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